Oregon State University has always been a place with a purpose — making a positive difference in quality of life, natural resources and economic prosperity in Oregon and beyond. Through discovery, innovation and application, we are meeting challenges, solving problems and turning ideas into reality.

Founded in 1868, Oregon State is the state's Land Grant university and is one of only two universities in the U.S. to have Sea Grant , Space Grant and Sun Grant designations. Oregon State is also the only university in Oregon to hold both the Carnegie Foundation's top designation for research institutions and its prestigious Community Engagement classification.

Oregon State welcomes a diverse student body of over 26,000 students from across Oregon, all 50 states and more than 100 countries. They can choose from more than 200 undergraduate and more than 80 graduate degree programs,including over 30 degrees online offered through Oregon State Ecampus . Oregon State increasingly attracts high-achieving students, with nationally recognized programs in areas such as conservation biology, agricultural sciences, nuclear engineering, forestry, fisheries and wildlife management, community health, pharmacy and zoology.

Oregon State also ranks high in sustainability, fourth among universities nationwide for using renewable energy and first in the Pac-12 Conference. And our students literally help power the university: 22 exercise machines at Dixon Recreation Center are connected to the grid.

The 400-acre main campus in Corvallis includes a Historic District , making Oregon State one of only a handful of U.S. university campuses listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The district includes such icons as Weatherford Hall, the Memorial Union and Benton Hall, the oldest building on campus.

Academics

Oregon State University's outstanding faculty and academic programs increasingly attract Oregon's top students, as well as those from other states and countries. In 2008, for example, more Oregon high school valedictorians enrolled at Oregon State than at any other college or university in the state. A 2009 survey of the greater Portland area by The Oregonian found more high school graduates were enrolling at Oregon State than at any other college or university.

Oregon State offers more than 200 undergraduate and 100 graduate degree programs through its 12 colleges, including the University Honors College, one of only a handful of degree-granting honors programs in the U.S.

Off-campus Learning

Research

As Oregon's leading public research institution, Oregon State University is meeting challenges and solving problems through discovery, innovation and application. OSU commercializes research through business partnerships, spinoff companies and licensing new technologies that turn ideas into reality.

Receiving almost $263 million in research funding in FY13, Oregon State earns more than 60 percent of the federal and private research funding in the Oregon University System. The university's private sector financing reached nearly $36 million in FY13, a 65-percent increase in the past five years. OSU is one of only two land , sea , space and sun grant institutions in the United States and holds top-tier research and community engagement designations from the Carnegie Foundation.

Oregon State is among the nation's leading research institutions in a range of fields: marine sciences, forestry, climate change, wave energy, sustainable food systems, nuclear engineering and public health.

See the Research Agenda , which defines the values, principles and thrusts of OSU's research enterprise.

Athletics

Whether you're a fan or an athlete, get in on the excitement of NCAA Division I, Pac-12 Conference sports at Oregon State University. Students can also compete in more than 30 intramural sports and numerous sports clubs.

Extension and Outreach

As Oregon's land-grant university , Oregon State serves Oregonians in every corner of the state – increasingly the public throughout the world. These efforts include access to education through our undergraduate and graduate programs; practical, problem-solving research through the OSU Extension Service , Agricultural Experiment Stations and Forest Research Laboratories ; and outreach and engagement programs in Oregon communities statewide led by Oregon State faculty and 18,900 volunteers. Additionally, Oregon State's 21st Century land grant mission calls upon the University to expand its service to the nation and the world.

In 2011, Oregon State was awarded the Carnegie Foundation's prestigious Community Engagement designation in recognition of the university's deep collaboration with the communities it serves beyond the borders of its campuses.

Campus Life

Oregon State University offers a friendly, welcoming community where students can get involved in their favorite activities — and try new ones. Students can choose from more than 300 clubs and activities, including student government, sports, community service, social and environmental awareness, Greek life, theater and music. Oregon State also hosts a variety of events — many that are open to the community — such as lectures, concerts, festivals and other cultural programs.